2014 Barolo Vigneto Arborina
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Tasting notes
A deep brick color, the 2014 Barolo Arborina is dark for the vintage, with brooding notes of dried black cherry pit, tea leaf, unsweetened dark chocolate, dark earth, and dried herbs. Medium-bodied, with ripe tannins and a clean, earthy texture, I would prefer to drink this now.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The Elio Altare 2014 Barolo Arborina normally sees short skin maceration times (of about three days), but they were cut even shorter in this challenging vintage in order to preserve the primary fruit freshness of the wine. I was struck by the immediate and accessible quality of fruit here that seems very generous and open, even at this young stage. In fact, I have reduced the drinking window to about ten years as a result. The wine wraps thickly over the palate with ripe cherry and prune. The tannins are ripe and soft.
Focus, tension and a palpable sense of energy give the 2014 Barolo Arborina its distinctive feel. Barolo Arborina is often wiry in the early going, and this is very much the case here. Even so, there is lovely delineation to the red cherry, pomegranate, anise and blood orange flavors. I won't be surprised if this cool, sophisticated Barolo blossoms with a few years in bottle.